Instrument plectrum



Oct. 13, l925- Filed Harsh Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. XIIBALL AND BESSIE N. KIMBALL, OF NEW MILFORD, CONNECTICUT.

INSTRUMENT PLECTRUM.

Application filed March 29, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WVILLIAM F. KIM- BALL and Bassin N. KJMBALL, citizens of the United States, residing at New Milford, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Instrument Plectra, of which the following is a s cification.

This invention relates to evices for facilitating the playing of stringed instruments, and has for its object to provide an improved pleetrum.

The objects and advantages of this invention will be made manifest in the following specification of an embodiment of the invention illustra-ted in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective of the device showing the form in which the blade is detachable from a holder.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of the holder from which the blade has been detached.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the holder or finger ring.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the detached blade.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of a form in which the blade and the ring are of integral construction.

Players of stringed instruments of certain kinds now generally use. a picking blade of flexible material, and an object of the Present invention is to provide a blade which may be firmly mounted on or between the fingers of the players hand. In Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, is shown a form of the device in which the picking blade Q comprises a piece of flexible material, such, for instance, as xylonite, one end of which is approximately tapered to form a picking point 2"; the opposite end of the blade having a straight, transverse edge 3. The body of the blade is provided with parallel edges 4, and the rear corners of the blade are somewhat protuberant, as at .5, beyond the edges 4. This blade 2 is adapted to be readily sprung into a holding device, including a ring or loop 8, having a tangential side wall or carrying portion 9 which has inwardly turned lugs or fingers l0, under which the blade 2 is adapted to be forced.

The ring or loop 8 is bent rearwardly from the lower edge 1l of the wall 9, and the opposite wall or body of the ring l0 may be inclined, as clearly shown in Fig- Serial No. 628,422.

ure 3, as to the plane of the front wall 9 so as to be readily adjusted upon and snugly fit an inserted finger. To facilitate in holding the inserted blade in position under the fingers 10, means are provided to prevent longitudinal movement of' the blade, and such means is here shown as including a transversely extending flange 9, at the upper edge of the wall 9, and against which the transverse edge 3 of the blade is designed to abut.

From this it will be seen that the blade 2, when unduly worn or broken, may be readily removed and a new one inserted in its place by a movement of the point portion 2 down under the fingers l0 to such a position as to bring the protuberances 5 just above the fingers, at which time the top edge 3 of the blade will spring in under the retaining flange 9.

It is within the purview of my invention to provide an integral construction of blade and holder. Such a construction is shown in Figure 5, wherein the blade 2 is tangentially connected at 2" to a contiguous portion of' the ring or loop 8.

Further embodiments, modifications and variations may be resorted to within the principle of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An instrument plectrum comprising a flat flexible picking blade having a picking point and sides, the lower portions of which are arcuate and diverge from the picking point, the upper portions of the sides being parallel, andthe blade having a straight transverse upper edge and a holder for said blade, said holder comprising a flat portion abutting against a face of said blade and having a flange overlying the upper edge of said blade, said holder having turned-in lugs abutting against a face of said blade and a finger-engaging loop extending froml the lower edge of said flat portion of the holder, the longitudinal bore of said loop being parallel with the straight transverse upper edge.

2. An instrument plectrum comprising a flat flexible picking blade having a picking point and sides, the lower portions ofwhich are arcuate and diverge from the picking point, the upper portions' of the sides being parallel, and the blade having a straight transverse upper edge and a. holder for vsaid blade, said holder comprising a flat.

portion abutting against a face of said blade,

transverse upper edge .of theblade, said blade having a projection omeliph'of its sides m adjacent the upper edge.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this s ifcaton.

WILLYQACM F. KIMBALL.

BESSIE N. KIMBALL. 

